Dare to Start

Type: 
Elective Courses
Credits: 
3
Objectives: 
1 Mastering the process of customer discovery and validation.
2 Understanding why early market feedback is importan t.
3 Thorough knowledge about and experience with using the business model canvas.
4 Ability to criticize business models and minimum viable products.
5 Thorough knowledge of and experience in the lean startup methodology.
6 Understanding what a minimal viable product is and what it is used for.
Contents: 
Professors: Gielen, Frank & Haerick, Wouter

This course is modelled after the famous ‘Lean Launchpad’ course, taught at Stanford university by Steve Blank, one of the creators the lean startup methodology. ’Lean Launchpad’ focusses on early validation of the business model and the assumptions made in the business plan. After 12 weeks, your business model is more or less validated and you should have a better idea whether to start your business or not. The course only has a small theory component and assumes that students are familiar with the basic elements of a business plan.The focus is on learning by doing and experience based learning. We expect students to go out and talk to potential partners, channels or customers and bring back their experiences to class to reflect on them. This course is ideal for students with a business idea who want to validate whether it could be marketed, or students who don’t have an idea but are eager to go through this process when working on someone else’s idea. It is open for students of all academic backgrounds.

Lectures and on-line sessions:

1 Business models, business model canvas
2 Customer development
3 Customer discovery
4 Value proposition
5 Customer segments
6 Channels
7 Customer acquisition and activation
8 Customer relationships (get / keep / grow)
9 Revenue model
10 Partners
11 Resources and costs
Key words: 
Lean startup, entrepreneurship, business model canvas, customer validation, customer discovery, minimum viable product, product-market fit